Roof or siding



Oct. 24, 1950 G. c. BULL ROOF OR SIDING Filed May 25, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Oct 24, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROOF R SIDINGGlen 0. Bull, Richmond, Ind.

Application May 23, 1947, Serial No. 750,155

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a covering structure which may be used for aroofing or siding for a building. p Q 7 One objectof my invention isto'provide 'a covering of-substantial construction which may be applieddirectly to rafters or othersupporting beams of the structure and will.afford complete protection'fro-m the weather, and also serve as a heatreflector and insulation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a connecting joint for theabutting edges of the covering units which will completely seal thejoints against ingress of water under any weather conditions, and willprovide for the free contraction and expansion of the units resultingfrom temperature and moisture changes without opening or fracturing theseams, and one sufficiently sturdy to withstand snow and wind stressesand mechanical strains, such as may result from the weight of a man.

Another object of my invention is to provide a covering structurecomposed of easily constructed units which may be produced'in sizes tomeet the requirements of different sizes and shapes of structures.

Another object of my invention is to provide a combined roof coveringand sheeting so that the usual board sheeting may be omitted.

Other features and advantages of my invention will appear from thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the attacheddrawings.

In the drawings illustrating my invention,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan of the covering as it appears whencompleted.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan with sealing compound omitted andparts broken away illustrating the anchoring and tightening means.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the structure taken upon line 33 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a modification in which the mastic absorbent fabric is omittedfrom the channels.

Fig. 5 is a modification in which-the mastic absorbent fabric is omittedfrom the edges of the units.

As shown in the drawing, a slab 5 of fibrous material, preferablyplywood, of any desired thickness, has a coating 6 of adhesive masticmaterial applied to its upper surface and edges, and ashort distance infrom its edges on its under surface, over which a thin sheet of aluminum1 or other metal is adhesively laid. The aluminum or other metal sheet Ialso overlays the edge of the slab 5 a distance sufficient to allow therafters.

it to extend below the lower face of the slab and turn inwardly againstthe lower side of the slab.

Channel or U'-shaped members l5, l5 and l1, l8 constitute the top andbottom anchorages and. supports for the roofing units. The webs of thelower channels H are turned outwardly at their ends to provide flanges19 which rest upon supporting rafters or other timbers 2| of the structure to be covered. The channels it and I! are shown mountedlongitudinally of the rafters 2i, and secured thereto by nails 22,through the adjacent plates of the channels, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.The outer surfaces of the U-shaped members l5, l6 and l1, iii arepreferably completely covered by strips of absorbent fabric 23 and 24,so that when they are brought together back to .back, as shown in Fig.3, the meeting surfaces are separated by two layers of the fabric.

A strip of fabric or paper or other mastic absorbent material 25 isattached to the surface of the aluminum sheet along its four edges andoverlays the top and bottom a distance at least as great as the width ofthe flanges IQ of the channels. 1

As alternative constructions, the absorbent material may be omitted fromthe channels as shown in Fig. 4, or may be omitted from the edges of theunits as shown in Fig. 5. At intervals, along the channels, the upperand lower channels are secured together by screws 25 of the type thatform their own threads as they are turned.

The channels which extend across the rafters are preferably ofconsiderable length so that they will serve to tie the beams together,and if the length of the building is such that joints are necessary, itis preferable that they be staggered. The channels which run upon orparallel with the rafters are preferably cut in lengths to lie betweenthe cross-channels. Where joints are formed between the cross-channelsand those lying parallel with the rafters but not over them, the ends ofthe channels which run parallel with the rafters may be inserted betweenthe flanges of the cross-channels by bending the flanges outwardly.

In originally assembling a roof structure, one channel member ispreferably laid crosswise of The nails 22 are driveen part Way home, andthe screws 26 are started in their matching openings. Another channel isthen loosely nailed along the top of the end rafter at right angle tothe first channel. Mastic cement is then brushed into the sides of thesechannels which are to receive the edges of one of the roof units. Oneunit is then pressed in place in the channels. The first channel whichruns parallel with the rafters is then placed in position with masticcement within the channel to receive the edge of the first placed unit.When a number of units has been placed across the supporting membersfrom one side of the building to another, the nails are driven home, andthe screws tightened so that the fabric saturated with mastic cement issqueezed tightly onto the top and bottom surfaces of the units. Afterall of the nails and screws have been driven home, the upper channels ofthe supporting members are filled with mastic material.

If a unit becomes damaged and has to be replaced, the flanges of thechannels may be bent upwardly so that the unit may be lifted out bodily.When a new unit is inserted, the edges are covered with plastic cement,and the top flanges of the channels again bent down to lie flush withthe upper surface of the inserted unit. The units are of such size as toleave a slight space, as at 21, Fig. 3, to permit expansion due to heator moisture. The aluminum sheets i are so thin and so securely cementedto the ply wood slabs 5 that the aluminum is forced to expand andcontract with the ply wood. The width of the top and bottom flanges ofthe channels is sufiicient that there will always be a good overlap,even if the slabs 5 contract considerably due to cold or dryness. Evenin contraction and expansion, the plastic material at the jointsmaintains adhesion with the fabric and the channels and the aluminumsurface of the roof units.

Although I have shown and described my invention with respect to certaindetails of construction, and have stated that the exposed metallic sheetis aluminum, it is to be understood that the structure may be modifiedwithin the purview of my invention, and that any suitable alloy ofaluminum, or any other metal such, for example, as copper or thinstainless steel, may be used.

I claim:

1. In a covering structure for outside surfaces, a plurality of slabs offibrous material, an ad" hesive covering one face and the edges of eachslab, a sheet of aluminum above the adhesive and covering the face andsides of the slab, an anchoring strip secured to the timbers of thestructure to be covered, upper and lower laterally extending flanges oneach side of the anchoring strip for engaging the side and end marginsof the slabs, and adhesive sealing material between adjacent portions ofthe slabs and the anchoring strip.

2. In a covering structure for outside surfaces, covering units eachcomprising a slab of fibrous material, anchoring strips for engaging theedge and end portions of said units secured to the timbers of thesupporting structure to be covered, said anchoring strips eachcomprising a pair of channel shaped members, each including a pair oflegs provided at the open end with flanges extending at right anglesthereto to embrace the edges of all units, and means for securing thechannel members together back to back.

3. 'In a covering structure for rafters, covering units each comprisinga flat slab of rigid material, anchoring strips secured to said raftersand having side channels for engaging the edge portions of said units,each anchoring strip comprising a pair of channel members each includingtwo webs provided at their open ends with outwardly extending flanges,mastic absorbent fabric between the flanges and the upper and lowersurfaces of the units, and means for drawing the upper and lower membersof the channel together back to back to squeeze to absorbent fabricbetween the flanges and the covering units.

GLEN C. BULL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,048,981 Vass July 28, 19362,073,278 Hohl Mar. 9, 193'! 2,319,278 Urbain May 18, 1943

